Method of making a container



arch 1, 1m. H. QAREW' W METHOD OF MAKING A CONTAINER Filed 0:51. 28, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l March 19,, E1934@; 7 H, c w 2,194,275

' nmmon or mane A conmmm I Filed Oct. 28, 193a 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I patches of Patented Men-19, 1940 UNITED STATES 2.194.215 mrrnon or MAKING A comma net-min- Carew. Eaton,

Vortex Company, Chicago. Delaware Pat, assignor to Dixlc- Ills a corporation of Application October 28, 1938, Serial No. 287,412

5 Claims. tor. os- -aaz) This invention relates to improvements in a container and method of making the same. and more particularly to a container of ..the type of a paper drinking cup, ice cream cup, or similar 5 paper or fiber container of the character customarily discarded after a single usage, althoughv the invention may have other uses and purposes as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

An important object of this invention is the provision of a paper cup, of the character of a drinking cup, an ice cream cup, etc... bearing a printed pattern or other form of printing for identification, decoration and similar purposes.

Another important object of this invention is w the provision of a new andnovel method of making or producing the aforesaid cup or container.

In the past, ei ttreme dimculty has been experienced in manufacturing paper cups, containers and the like, with printed material appearing w on the finished product. This dimculty was increased when devices of the character of drinking or ice cream cups were manufactured from blanks of stockr The difllculty was still further and verygreatly increased in the m'anuiacture of 95 a conical paper cup from a single, substantially sector-shaped blank or stock.

Heretofore, various methods of producing printed matterupon a paper cup have been used. One of these methods was to provide spaced printing upon a ribbon of stock and sever the blanks from the ribbon with each blank including a patch of printing. However, it was very costly to maintain the proper alignment of the stock ribbon, so that each blank would be cut 35 and carry a patchof printing in the same location as every other blank, and so that all 'flnished containers would be uniform in appearance. If, for any reason, the stock ribbon became out of line or was not started through the machine at the exact point, even for a small-distance of oneeighth of an inch..the resultant containers would not be uniform in appearance with other con:-

ers. To maintain such a high degreeof ac-' curacy in the feeding of the stock ribbon and the cutting of the blanks was obiectionably ex- In the manufacture of paper cups; such as drinking and ice cream cups, which-Jon sanitary reasons are discarded after a single usage, econ- 50 am in productionis an essential. While the particular economy involved may not be so apparent from a single blank or a single cup, that economy is verygreatly apparent when considered with the production cost of millions of M55 Therefore, to materially reduce the cost in the apped portions or the n container.

production of cups carryingprinted matter thereon is a highly important advance in this art.

With the foregoing in mind, it is a further object of this invention to provide a method of producing printed container blanks, wherein the printing is applied to a stock ribbon in such a manner that blanks may be severed from the stock ribbon at any location therealong and be uniform in appearance with blanks severed from the stock ribbon at other locations therealong.

In manufacturing paper cups or containers in which the finished container has overlapped marginal portions of the blank, it is quite important that no printing appear on the inner of the over lapped marginal portions so as to be partially visible/through the outer oi the'overlapped portions and thus mar the appearance oi the cup or container as a whole.

, Accordingly. another obiectoi this invention is the provision of a method of making a printed to cup or container blank; wherein printing is applied initially to a stools ribbon, and bi'anks are successively severed irom substantially any location along the stock ribbon with ch'severed blank being so positioned that the printing will r not appear on the er 0 the resultant over Another object of the invention rdes in the provision of a new and novel method oi produc ing a container blank havinga substantially continuous line of printing running thereacross, which line of printing may. if so desired, be sub stantially straight in character, regardless or whether or not the blank is to be formed. into a conical container by shaping itconvolutely or otherwise.

It is also an object of the invention to pro"- vide a method of making printed paper container blanks, wherein a continuous line of printing is provided along a stock ribbon, and blanks are.

successively severed irom the stock ribbon through said line of printing. A further and more specific object of the invention is. the provision of a method of producing substantially sector-shaped blanks of stock, each of which is to be formed into a conical container, and each of which contains printed matter extending thereacross and which will be completely visible on the exterior surface of the finished 0 Still another feature of the invention is the provision of a method of producing printed container blanks, wherein the printing is applied to a ribbon of stock, and the blanks may bev severed from such ribbon in a known or usual manner without any increase of waste stock, and with each blank carrying printed matter similar to every other blank and with the printing so located that all containers will be equally uniform and as pleasing in appearance.

Another feature of the novel method embodied in this invention resides in the fact that the practice of the method produces a container blank carrying printed matter, but requires no alterations or additions to blank cutting mechanism now in use.

A further important feature of the present novel method resides in the fact that the method may be used equally as well in the making of blanks which are pre-cut, stacked and then fed one at a time from the stack to forming mechanism, or in machines wherein a ribbon of stock is fed through the machine towards the forming mechanism, and each blank is formed salt is severed from the stock ribbon.

Still another object of the inventionis the provision of a novel printed container.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been above pointed out, others will become apparent from the following disclosures, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a printed container blank embodying principles of the present invention and manufactured byrvirtue of the novel vention to produce a blankof the character of that shown in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a side elevational diagrammatic view of the practice of the novel method here involved, 3 illustrating diagrammatically certain apparatus which may be used;

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view in plan similar in character to Figure 4, illustrating the practice of the present method, wherein the blanks are not pre-cut, stacked, and assembled prior to each blank being formed into container shape;

Figure 7 is a side elevational view ,of a container made from one of the blanks shown in Figure 6; and r Figure 8 is another side elevational view of the container of Figure 7, takenfrom a different angle.

As-shown on the drawings: With reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3, it will be seen that one of the illustrated embodiments of the present invention includes a substantially sector-shaped blank ill of suitable material, such as paper commonly used for the making of paper,

drinking cups, ice cream cups, and the like, either of the so-called dry wax type or the wet wax type. This blank is designed to form a conical cup lfla as seen in Figures} and 3.

The blank includes a relatively large arcuate edge ll to define the mouth of the resultant cup and a pair of converging side edges,.which for the purpose of description may be termed substantially radial edges, [2 and I3. These edges do not meet but are connected by means of an extension tab H. The edge [2, which will be the outside edge of the finished container, is substantially straight, while the resultant inner edge I3 is preferably curved to facilitate forming of the container. The extension tab I4 is wound around the apex of the finished container, m seen clearly in Figures 2 and 3.

The blank I0 is provided with a substantially continuous line of printing 15 extending completely across the blank. In this instance, the

term line" is used to designate any elongated patch of printing of substantially any character, whether or not it is strictly a line or a design having non-uniform edges as illustrated. While the specific contour of the printing 15 may vary somewhat, it is preferable to have the line generally straight across the blank, since a substantially straight running printed pattern is easier to apply.

- It will be noted that the printing runs from an intermediate point on the straight edge I2 to an intermediate point on the arcuate edge ll, missing entirely the ultimate inner curved edge l3. With this disposition of the printed matter J5, the line of printing is caused to curve around the finished container and substantially circumscribe the container, as seen in Figures 2 and 3, all of the printed matter appearing on the outside surface of the container. The two ends of the line of printing terminate substantially in the same plane, although they are spaced apart, as clearly seen in Figure 3. Of course, other judicious locations for the printed matter upon the blank may be determined, depending upon the character of the printing and the desired resultant location on the container. By avoiding any printing along the margin of the edge 13, the printed matter is entirely on the outside surface of the container, with no printed matter on the inner of the overlapped marginal portions which would be partially visible through the outer margin and thus spoil the nice appearance of the container. convolutely into a cup Ilia of Figures 2 and 3, the printed matter is also disposed around the container in substantially convolute fashion, in keeping with the formation of the container. of

course, it will be appreciated that several lines of printing may be provided, if so desired, the illustrated printing being by way of example and not by way of limitation. In Figures 4 and 5, I have diagrammatical illustrated a novel method of producing finished blanks. For pre-cut blanks, such as are initially cut, stacked, and then fed one at a time to forming mechanism, it is more economical to provide a stock ribbon from which a plurality of rows of blanks may be severed. By properly arranging the cutting dies, stock waste is reduced to aminimum.

In,this instance, I have illustrated a stock ribbon I of proper width for the severing therefrom of two rows of blanks, the blanks in one row being disposed oppositely to the blanks in the other row. Prior to the severance of any blank, two continuous lines of printing lia are provided upon the stock strip 18. These lines are also'opposite in character in keeping with the rows of blanks to be cut from the strip.. It is a simple matter to print a stock strip with two continuous lines of printing, such as the lines Ila. This may be accomplished by mechanism illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 5. The stock strip may be wound at proper speed from a supply roll I! and fed between a printing roll I. and a backing roll IS, the printing roll supplying both of the lines of printing to the stock ribbon. The ribbon next proceeds into a suit- 7 8.104 878 able punch and die cutting mechanism 2., preferably arranged to simultaneously punch two or more blanks from the stock ribbon.

At this point, it may be best to mention that where the term continuous'isuspd herein and in the appended claims, this'term is to be construed as including substantially any type of elongated printed pattern, interrupted or uninterrupted, and preferablyof such a character that the line can be cut through anywhere therealong without causing any'appreciable change in the printing upon one-finished container as compared with that upon another finished container. By this method of providing printed blanks, it

will be noted that a line of printing may be so will appear exactly similar to containers made from blanks cut from other locations along the stock ribbon. Further, the method is extremely economical'and necessitates no change whatsoever in cutting mechanism of the type. used to the inner of the overlapped and 28 in a substantially straight provide unprinted blanks. It will be understood,

of course, that the printed pattern may be located in various positions transversely of the blank, it being preferable to avoid the provision of printing running to the resultant inner edges ll of the blank for the reasons above explained.

In order to definitely illustrate that the present method ,of providing printed blanks is not limited to the provision of pre-cut blanks or to the provision of blanks which are ultimately convolutely wound to form containers, I have illustrated in Figures 6, 7 and 8 the application oi granted hereon otherwise than is necessitated the method to a stock strip for use in the socalled ribbon feed machine; In such machines, a stock ribbon is fed continuously entirely through the machine, the blanks being severed successively in a single row, and each blanki's formed into a container immediately after its severance from the leading end of the stock ribbon. The blanks and cups'shown in these figures are of the type more fully disclosed, described and claimed in my copending application for Letters Patent entitled Container and blank therefor, filed September 9, 1937, Serlal'No. 182,968. P

In this instance, a stock width for the cuttingoi a single row of blanks is provided in the manner above explainedorin an equivalent mannerywith a substantially continuous line of printing 2!. Blanks 23 are successively severed from the, strip and immediately after severance are respectively formed J into containers. These 4 blanks are substantially sector-shaped and each includes an arcuate edge 24 to define the mouth I ribbon II. of proper of the resultant cup, anda pair of converging side edges 25 and 28. As previously is preferable to 'havethe printing it entirely miss one of the converging side edges in the finished cup. In this instance the edge ll and the ad jacent margin is free from printing. v

The blank is formed into a cup by merely overlapping the margins adjacent thev edges 2! side seam II as seen in Figure '7. Even with such formation,

' the printing 22 assumes a somewhat convolute line around the cup, and if the printing is lothe. leading portion of 'e'xplainedJt.

ed es which will be;

cated substantially centrally of the blank, the printing will substantially clrcumscribe the cup.

since the upper face of eachsevered blank is the inside surface of the finished cup, it is necprinting, and rewinding tent the terms "ribbon? strip," and "sheet are used synonymously herein and in the appended claims. Accuracy and economy of manufactureare efiiciently provided both when blanks are successively severed from a strip or ribbon and where a sheet or stack oi-sheets is placed under a multiple die for cutting some or all of the blank capacity of a sheet at a single operation.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that I have provided a novel cup blank and container, the method and container both being substantially as economical as additional expense being ,the very nominal cost 0! applying the printing to the stock ribbon. In view of the fact that the containers may be severed from substantially any location along the stockribbon and all resultant cups are quite similar in appearance, the method is very feasible and may be practiced economically and with great by-the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

disposition of the by unwinding the stock method of producing a printed though no printing had been provided, the only 1. The method of producing a printed paper cup blank, including the steps of running a continuous line of printing along-a stock strip,

' and then severing substantially sector-shaped blanks from said strip, each blank being cut to include a part of said lineof printing and in such position that a substantially radial edge thereof is disposed completely to one side of said line of printing.

- 2. The method of producing printed blanks each to be formed into a cup with portions of the blank overlapped, including the steps of running a continuous line of printing along a stock ribbon, and successively cutting blanks from said ribbon through said line of printing with each blank disposed so that no printing will appear on the inner of the resulting overlapped portions.

8. The method of producing printed blanks each having a pair of'marginal portions overlapping when the blank is subsequently iormed into a container, including the steps of'running acontinuous line otprinting alonga stock ribbon, and successively cutting blanks from said ribbon through said-line of printing with the blank so dispcsedthatthe line ofprinting extends across the blankbetween the edge of the outer I o! the resultant overlapped margins and a point remote from the inner of the resultant overlapped margins.

4. In it met od '0! making blanks for paper containers wherein substantially sector-shaped blankseach having an arcuate edge joining con- 5. The method of making a conical paper cup.' 10 including the steps of running a continuous line of printing along a stock ribbon, severing a cup blank from said ribbon through said line of printing in such location that one side margin of the blank is devoid of printing, and then forming said blank convolutely into conical shape with overlapped marginal portions 01 which said one side margin is the inner, and with the line [of printing appearing substantially convolutely and wholly on the outer surface or the cup.

HERMAN CARE'W. 

